


Apodos

by ghostwise



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, shepard speaks spanish, translation vi shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-22 00:31:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14925980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostwise/pseuds/ghostwise
Summary: It wasn’t until later that he realized Shepard had no idea how to pronounce his name.





	Apodos

It probably escaped his attention in all the commotion that followed. Maybe they hadn’t had much of a chance to speak personally in the beginning. Hell, meeting Shepard was a commotion all its own, if what he’d seen so far was anything to go by. And then she went and became the first human Spectre to boot.

This was someone worth a closer look. On that guess, Garrus Vakarian changed the course of his entire life.

It wasn’t until later that he realized Shepard had no idea how to pronounce his name.

“Shepard,” he finally said to her one evening, the day’s work done and set behind them, “I’ve been meaning to ask you. Not that it isn’t ah, cute, but why the nickname?”

They were friends, and he was thankful for it. Still, it baffled him that Shepard had warmed to him quite so quickly as to give him a nickname from day one. It had confused him at the time, but he’d come to accept it, and only now did he question it—hoping she wouldn’t misconstrue it as offense.

She leaned back and watched him curiously for a moment before asking, bluntly, “ _What_ nickname?”

Garrus laughed, suddenly nervous. “I mean… I don’t mind the familiarity! But you call everyone _else_ by their names…”

Oh, no. Now she seemed downright confused. “I don’t know what you mean,” she insisted, a smile quirking her lips regardless. “What nickname?”

 “… Claws?” He chuckled, glancing down at the sharp tips of his fingers. “It’s a bit straightforward, isn’t it? Shepard?” Garrus’ mandibles flickered, because the woman had suddenly come very near, and was regarding him intently.

Damn, human eyes were eerie. And so big.

“Claws, tell me your name again.” She shut off her translator, then reached across and tapped at his omnitool, shutting off his. Familiarity, indeed.

This was new. Garrus found himself floundering for the answer, before firmly reminding himself that he was a grown man and could most definitely tell his commanding officer his damn name. All those consonants and harsh vowels keened through his Turian vocal chords, unfiltered, without the complex translator VI built into every omnitool.

“ _Garrus Vakarian.”_

Without translation, human speech was shocking in its simplicity. There were no subvocals to speak of. No hums, no plates forming those sharp decisive sounds. And in fact, Shepard’s voice was… unlike any human’s he’d heard.

It struck him that this was his first time hearing her natural speech, as she repeated to the best of her ability:

_“Garras Voquarien?”_

Ah, it was a little off. So this was what Shepard was doing.

Teeth baring in a grin, Garrus shook his head and leaned in a bit closer. _“Garrus,”_ he repeated.

_“Garr…as,”_ Shepard repeated. _“No. Guerras?”_

No, still not quite there. Garrus shook his head again, and for a while they sat in the Mako together, repeating his name back and forth like a couple of fools (he wasn’t afraid to admit). It seemed to go well; practice made perfect, after all, and eventually Shepard burst into a sound so strange, it took a second for him to recognize it as laughter.

_“What about your name?”_ he asked her. _“I want to make sure I’ve been getting it right.”_ Realizing his translator was still off, he pointed at her, hoping the meaning was clear.

She grinned widely at him. _“Mi nombre? Lonan. Shepard.”_

_“Lonan… Sheckard.”_

Shepard laughed again. Turian mouths. No flexibility for forming that soft ‘p’ sound.

_“Animo, Garrus,”_ she said. _“Sobra tiempo para aprender.”_

And of that, she was absolutely right.

**Author's Note:**

> Born out of my headcanons about Turian language (you can read more here! http://ghostwise.tumblr.com/post/163379340734/turians-dont-have-lips-so-technically-they ) and how the translation tool works; sure, it seems pretty seamless to us, but that's for narrative purposes. I'm sure it has its moments lol
> 
> And of course, my Shepard speaks Spanish! The joke here is that 'garras' means 'claws' if that wasn't obvious (sorry, sorry--I try to be funny, I do). I just love these nerds and the unlikely relationship that grows between them.


End file.
